U.S. patent application number 15/926839 was filed with the patent office on 2018-11-22 for conductive module.
The applicant listed for this patent is Yazaki Corporation. Invention is credited to Hideki Inoue, Shigeyuki Ogasawara, Michio Ota.
Application Number | 20180337386 15/926839 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 64272446 |
Filed Date | 2018-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180337386 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ogasawara; Shigeyuki ; et
al. |
November 22, 2018 |
CONDUCTIVE MODULE
Abstract
The housing member includes a housing body that houses first and
second conductive members, a lid body that closes an opening of a
second housing chamber of the second conductive member in the
housing body, a hinge body as a living hinge therebetween, and a
holding mechanism that holds the lid body in the housing body at a
closing position, the holding mechanism includes a first engagement
holder having an inserted portion, and a second engagement holder
having a claw portion.
Inventors: |
Ogasawara; Shigeyuki;
(Shizuoka, JP) ; Ota; Michio; (Shizuoka, JP)
; Inoue; Hideki; (Shizuoka, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Yazaki Corporation |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
64272446 |
Appl. No.: |
15/926839 |
Filed: |
March 20, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 60/10 20130101;
H01R 13/501 20130101; H01M 2/1077 20130101; H01M 10/486 20130101;
H01M 2220/20 20130101; H01M 2/206 20130101; H01R 4/70 20130101;
H01M 10/482 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01M 2/20 20060101
H01M002/20; H01M 2/10 20060101 H01M002/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 17, 2017 |
JP |
2017-098178 |
Claims
1. A conductive module comprising: a first conductive member
electrically connected to one of two electrode terminals of battery
cells as a connection target with at least one of an arranged
plurality of the battery cells being the connection target; a
second conductive member that has a conductor extending in a
direction in which the plurality of battery cells are arranged, the
second conductive member being configured to electrically connect
the first conductive member and an electric connection object with
the conductor; and a housing member that houses the first and
second conductive members, wherein the housing member includes: a
housing body having a first housing chamber in which the first
conductive member is housed and a second housing chamber in which
the second conductive member is housed; a lid body that closes at
least a part of an opening of the second housing chamber so that
the second conductive member does not come out from the second
housing chamber; a hinge body that connects the housing body and
the lid body, and rotates the lid body with respect to the housing
body between an opening position of the second housing chamber with
respect to the opening and a closing position of the second housing
chamber with respect to the opening; and a holding mechanism that
holds the lid body in the housing body at the closing position, the
hinge body is a thin living hinge having flexibility capable of
displacing a position of a pivot axis between a housing body side
and a lid body side, the holding mechanism includes a first
engagement holder provided in the housing body and a second
engagement holder provided in the lid body, and is formed so as to
hold the lid body in the housing body at the closing position by
inserting a claw portion of one of the first engagement holder and
the second engagement holder into an inserted portion of the other
of the first engagement holder and the second engagement holder,
and by hooking the claw portion and a wall surface of the inserted
portion as an insertion of the claw portion into the inserted
portion is completed, and the first engagement holder includes a
first introduction portion that comes into contact with the second
engagement holder when the pivot axis of the hinge body is
positioned at a reference pivot axis between the housing body side
and the lid body side, and guides the second engagement holder so
that the claw portion is inserted into the inserted portion as a
pivoting motion of the lid body with respect to the containing body
proceeds, and a second introduction portion that comes into contact
with the second engagement holder even if the pivot axis of the
hinge body is positioned at any position between the housing body
side and the lid body side, and guides the second engagement holder
to the first introduction portion as the pivoting motion of the lid
body with respect to the housing body proceeds.
2. The conductive module according to claim 1, wherein the second
introduction portion is a sliding contact surface that guides the
contacted second engagement holder while keeping a contact state
until the second engagement holder reaches the first introduction
portion.
3. The conductive module according to claim 1, wherein the second
introduction portion is an inclined surface inclined with respect
to a guiding direction of the second engagement holder by the first
introduction portion.
4. The conductive module according to claim 2, wherein the second
introduction portion is an inclined surface inclined with respect
to a guiding direction of the second engagement holder by the first
introduction portion.
5. The conductive module according to claim 1, wherein the second
housing chamber includes an inner wall portion on a side of the
pivoting axis, the hinge body at a wall portion forming the second
housing chamber being connected to the inner wall portion, and an
outer wall portion that is disposed with a space therebetween
across an interior of the second housing chamber with respect to
the inner wall portion, the lid body includes an inner end portion
on a side of the pivoting axis to which the hinge body is
connected, and an outer end portion arranged with a space from the
inner end portion, and in the holding mechanism, the first
engagement holder is provided on the outer wall portion, and the
second engagement holder is provided at the outer end portion.
6. The conductive module according to claim 2, wherein the second
housing chamber includes an inner wall portion on a side of the
pivoting axis, the hinge body at a wall portion forming the second
housing chamber being connected to the inner wall portion, and an
outer wall portion that is disposed with a space therebetween
across an interior of the second housing chamber with respect to
the inner wall portion, the lid body includes an inner end portion
on a side of the pivoting axis to which the hinge body is
connected, and an outer end portion arranged with a space from the
inner end portion, and in the holding mechanism, the first
engagement holder is provided on the outer wall portion, and the
second engagement holder is provided at the outer end portion.
7. The conductive module according to claim 3, wherein the second
housing chamber includes an inner wall portion on a side of the
pivoting axis, the hinge body at a wall portion forming the second
housing chamber being connected to the inner wall portion, and an
outer wall portion that is disposed with a space therebetween
across an interior of the second housing chamber with respect to
the inner wall portion, the lid body includes an inner end portion
on a side of the pivoting axis to which the hinge body is
connected, and an outer end portion arranged with a space from the
inner end portion, and in the holding mechanism, the first
engagement holder is provided on the outer wall portion, and the
second engagement holder is provided at the outer end portion.
8. The conductive module according to claim 1, wherein the second
housing chamber includes an inner wall portion on a side of the
pivoting axis, the hinge body at a wall portion forming the second
housing chamber being connected to the inner wall portion, and an
outer wall portion that is disposed with a space therebetween
across an interior of the second housing chamber with respect to
the inner wall portion, the lid body includes an inner end portion
on a side of the pivoting axis to which the hinge body is
connected, and an outer end portion arranged with a space from the
inner end portion, and the holding mechanism is arranged between
the outer wall portion and the outer end portion and is also
arranged between the inner wall portion and the inner end
portion.
9. The conductive module according to claim 2, wherein the second
housing chamber includes an inner wall portion on a side of the
pivoting axis, the hinge body at a wall portion forming the second
housing chamber being connected to the inner wall portion, and an
outer wall portion that is disposed with a space therebetween
across an interior of the second housing chamber with respect to
the inner wall portion, the lid body includes an inner end portion
on a side of the pivoting axis to which the hinge body is
connected, and an outer end portion arranged with a space from the
inner end portion, and the holding mechanism is arranged between
the outer wall portion and the outer end portion and is also
arranged between the inner wall portion and the inner end
portion.
10. The conductive module according to claim 3, wherein the second
housing chamber includes an inner wall portion on a side of the
pivoting axis, the hinge body at a wall portion forming the second
housing chamber being connected to the inner wall portion, and an
outer wall portion that is disposed with a space therebetween
across an interior of the second housing chamber with respect to
the inner wall portion, the lid body includes an inner end portion
on a side of the pivoting axis to which the hinge body is
connected, and an outer end portion arranged with a space from the
inner end portion, and the holding mechanism is arranged between
the outer wall portion and the outer end portion and is also
arranged between the inner wall portion and the inner end
portion.
11. The conductive module according to claim 1, wherein the second
conductive member is an electric wire including a core wire as the
conductor and a coating covering the core wire.
12. The conductive module according to claim 2, wherein the second
conductive member is an electric wire including a core wire as the
conductor and a coating covering the core wire.
13. The conductive module according to claim 3, wherein the second
conductive member is an electric wire including a core wire as the
conductor and a coating covering the core wire.
14. The conductive module according to claim 5, wherein the second
conductive member is an electric wire including a core wire as the
conductor and a coating covering the core wire.
15. The conductive module according to claim 8, wherein the second
conductive member is an electric wire including a core wire as the
conductor and a coating covering the core wire.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] The present application claims priority to and incorporates
by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No.
2017-098178 filed in Japan on May 17, 2017.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a conductive module.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] Conventionally, in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or
a hybrid vehicle, a battery pack that supplies electric power to a
rotating machine as a driving source thereof is mounted. The
battery pack is provided with a conductive module which is
electrically connected to at least one of a plurality of battery
cells constituting a battery module. The conductive module
includes: a first conductive member electrically connected to an
electrode terminal of a battery cell; a second conductive member
electrically connected to each of the first conductive member and
an electric connection object side; and a housing member that
houses the first and second conductive members. The housing member
includes: a housing body having a first housing chamber in which a
first conductive member is to be housed and a second housing
chamber in which a second conductive member is to be housed; a lid
body that closes at least a part of an opening of the second
housing chamber so that the second conductive member does not come
out from the second housing chamber; a hinge body that makes the
lid body pivot with respect to the housing body between an opening
position with respect to the opening of the second housing chamber
and a closing position with respect to the opening of the second
housing chamber; and a holding mechanism that holds the lid body in
the housing body at the closing position. This housing member is
formed of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin, and a
thin, so-called living hinge having flexibility is formed as a
hinge body. Furthermore, the holding mechanism includes: a first
engagement holder on a lid body side, the first engagement holder
having a claw portion; and a second engagement holder on a housing
body side, the second engagement holder having an inserted portion
into which the claw portion is inserted, the claw portion being
hooked on a wall surface of the inserted portion as an insertion of
the claw portion into the inserted portion is completed. In this
holding mechanism, the claw portion of the first engagement holder
is guided to the inserted portion along an introduction portion of
the second engagement holder in accordance with a pivoting motion
toward the closing position of the lid body with respect to the
housing body. This type of conductive module is disclosed, for
example, in the following Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
2013-4501. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2013-4501
discloses a so-called bus bar module including a bus bar as a first
conductive member and an electric wire as a second conductive
member, and configured to connect respective battery cells in
series or in parallel by a plurality of bus bars while detecting
the voltage of the battery cells with the electric wire.
[0004] By the way, the hinge body of this conductive module does
not necessarily define one pivot axis because of a flexibility of
the hinge body, and there is a possibility that the position of the
pivot axis is displaced between a housing body side and a lid body
side. Therefore, in the housing member, a pivoting locus of the lid
body with respect to the housing body changes each time the
pivoting motion is performed, and along with this change, a
pivoting locus of the claw portion of the first engagement holder
with respect to the introduction portion of the second engagement
holder also changes. Accordingly, in order to insert the claw
portion into the inserted portion, it is necessary for the housing
member to make the lid body pivot toward the closing position while
being conscious of the positional relationship between the claw
portion of the first engagement holder and the introduction portion
of the second engagement holder. That is, the conventional
conductive module has room for improvement concerning the engaging
operation of the holding mechanism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a conductive module capable of improving engagement
workability of a holding mechanism when closing an opening of a
housing body with a lid body.
[0006] A conductive module according to one aspect of the present
invention includes a first conductive member electrically connected
to one of two electrode terminals of battery cells as a connection
target with at least one of an arranged plurality of the battery
cells being the connection target; a second conductive member that
has a conductor extending in a direction in which the plurality of
battery cells are arranged, the second conductive member being
configured to electrically connect the first conductive member and
an electric connection object with the conductor; and a housing
member that houses the first and second conductive members, wherein
the housing member includes: a housing body having a first housing
chamber in which the first conductive member is housed and a second
housing chamber in which the second conductive member is housed; a
lid body that closes at least a part of an opening of the second
housing chamber so that the second conductive member does not come
out from the second housing chamber; a hinge body that connects the
housing body and the lid body, and rotates the lid body with
respect to the housing body between an opening position of the
second housing chamber with respect to the opening and a closing
position of the second housing chamber with respect to the opening;
and a holding mechanism that holds the lid body in the housing body
at the closing position, the hinge body is a thin living hinge
having flexibility capable of displacing a position of a pivot axis
between a housing body side and a lid body side, the holding
mechanism includes a first engagement holder provided in the
housing body and a second engagement holder provided in the lid
body, and is formed so as to hold the lid body in the housing body
at the closing position by inserting a claw portion of one of the
first engagement holder and the second engagement holder into an
inserted portion of the other of the first engagement holder and
the second engagement holder, and by hooking the claw portion and a
wall surface of the inserted portion as an insertion of the claw
portion into the inserted portion is completed, and the first
engagement holder includes a first introduction portion that comes
into contact with the second engagement holder when the pivot axis
of the hinge body is positioned at a reference pivot axis between
the housing body side and the lid body side, and guides the second
engagement holder so that the claw portion is inserted into the
inserted portion as a pivoting motion of the lid body with respect
to the containing body proceeds, and a second introduction portion
that comes into contact with the second engagement holder even if
the pivot axis of the hinge body is positioned at any position
between the housing body side and the lid body side, and guides the
second engagement holder to the first introduction portion as the
pivoting motion of the lid body with respect to the housing body
proceeds.
[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, it is
preferable that the second introduction portion is a sliding
contact surface that guides the contacted second engagement holder
while keeping a contact state until the second engagement holder
reaches the first introduction portion.
[0008] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
it is preferable that the second introduction portion is an
inclined surface inclined with respect to a guiding direction of
the second engagement holder by the first introduction portion.
[0009] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
it is preferable that the second housing chamber includes an inner
wall portion on a side of the pivoting axis, the hinge body at a
wall portion forming the second housing chamber being connected to
the inner wall portion, and an outer wall portion that is disposed
with a space therebetween across an interior of the second housing
chamber with respect to the inner wall portion, the lid body
includes an inner end portion on a side of the pivoting axis to
which the hinge body is connected, and an outer end portion
arranged with a space from the inner end portion, and in the
holding mechanism, the first engagement holder is provided on the
outer wall portion, and the second engagement holder is provided at
the outer end portion.
[0010] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
it is preferable that the second housing chamber includes an inner
wall portion on a side of the pivoting axis, the hinge body at a
wall portion forming the second housing chamber being connected to
the inner wall portion, and an outer wall portion that is disposed
with a space therebetween across an interior of the second housing
chamber with respect to the inner wall portion, the lid body
includes an inner end portion on a side of the pivoting axis to
which the hinge body is connected, and an outer end portion
arranged with a space from the inner end portion, and the holding
mechanism is arranged between the outer wall portion and the outer
end portion and is also arranged between the inner wall portion and
the inner end portion.
[0011] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
it is preferable that the second conductive member is an electric
wire including a core wire as the conductor and a coating covering
the core wire.
[0012] The above and other objects, features, advantages and
technical and industrial significance of this invention will be
better understood by reading the following detailed description of
presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conductive
module according to an embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a battery
module;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a part of a
housing member with a lid body being opened;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a part of the housing
member with the lid body being opened;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a part of the
housing member with the lid body being closed;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a part of the housing
member with the lid body being closed;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line X1-X1 of
FIG. 4 and is an enlarged view of a holding mechanism;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line X2-X2 of
FIG. 4 and is an enlarged view of the holding mechanism;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line Y1-Y1 of
FIG. 6 and is an enlarged view of the holding mechanism;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line Y2-Y2
in FIG. 6 and is an enlarged view of the holding mechanism; and
[0023] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 8
and FIG. 10, illustrating an example when a second engagement
holder comes into contact with a second introduction portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of a conductive module according to
the present invention will be described in detail with reference to
the drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not
limited by this embodiment.
Embodiment
[0025] One embodiment of a conductive module according to the
present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to
11.
[0026] Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 illustrates a conductive
module according to the present embodiment. The conductive module 1
is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of
battery cells 120 forming the battery module 110 (FIG. 2), and
forms the battery pack 100 together with the battery module 110.
The battery pack 100 is mounted in a vehicle (such as an electric
vehicle or a hybrid vehicle) having a rotating machine as a drive
source, and is used for supplying power to the rotating machine or
the like. First, a connection target of the conductive module 1
will be described. Note that the conductive module 1 in FIG. 1 and
the battery module 110 in FIG. 2 are illustrated by extracting
parts thereof.
[0027] The battery cell 120 includes the cell body 121 and two
electrode terminals 122 (FIG. 2). Each of the electrode terminals
122 is provided at any position of the cell body 121 in a state of
being exposed to the outside, one of the electrode terminals 122 is
a positive electrode, and the other of the electrode terminals 122
is a negative electrode. Each of the electrode terminals 122 may
be, for example, a plate-like member provided on an outer wall
surface of the cell body 121, or a columnar pillar column
protruding from the outer wall surface of the cell body 121. In the
battery cell 120, when the cell body 121 has a plurality of outer
wall surfaces, each electrode terminal 122 may be arranged on one
outer wall surface, and the outer wall surface on which the
electrode terminal 122 is arranged may be divided for each
electrode terminal 122. In the battery module 110, each of the
battery cells 120 is arranged in a row with one electrode terminal
122 of each battery cell 120 arranged in a line and the other
electrode terminal 122 also arranged in a line. Therefore, in this
battery module 110, electrode terminal groups 125 including the
electrode terminals 122 arranged in a line are provided at two
places.
[0028] In this battery module 110, two electrode terminals 122
adjacent to each other in an arrangement direction of the battery
cells 120 are connected to each electrode terminal group 125 by a
conductive bus bar 150 (FIG. 1). The bus bar 150 is molded from a
conductive material such as metal. By disposing the bus bar 150 for
every combination of the two adjacent electrode terminals 122, the
two electrode terminals 122 are physically and electrically
connected for each combination. The bus bar 150 in this embodiment
is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape, and the plurality of
bus bars 150 are arranged for each electrode terminal group 125
along the arrangement direction of the battery cells 120. For
example, when the electrode terminal 122 has a plate shape, the bus
bar 150 is physically and electrically connected to the electrode
terminal 122 by welding (laser welding or the like). On the other
hand, when the electrode terminal 122 is a pillar column, a through
hole through which each electrode terminal 122 is inserted is
formed in the bus bar 150. By fixing the bus bar 150 to the
electrode terminal 122 with screws or the like, the bus bar 150 and
the electrode terminal 122 are physically and electrically
connected to each other. In this battery module 110, two electrode
terminals 122 which are not connected by the bus bar 150 exist, one
of the electrode terminals 122 is a so-called total positive
electrode, and the other of the electrode terminals 122 is a
so-called total negative electrode. In the total positive electrode
and the total negative electrode, in the case where the electrode
terminal 122 is a pillar column, one bus bar 151 is provided with a
through hole. The bus bar 150 and the bus bar 151 are also housed
in a housing member 30 which will be described later.
[0029] For example, in the battery cell 120 of the present
embodiment, the cell body 121 forms a rectangular parallelepiped.
Therefore, the battery module 110 of the present embodiment
virtually forms a rectangular parallelepiped by the respective
battery cells 120, and has six wall surfaces of an aggregate
including the plurality of battery cells 120 along the arrangement
direction of the plurality of battery cells 120. In the battery
cell 120 of the present embodiment, stud bolts are vertically
provided from two opposing outer wall surfaces of the cell body
121, and each of the stud bolts is used as the electrode terminal
122. Therefore, in the battery module 110 of the present
embodiment, the electrode terminal group 125 is provided in each of
the opposing two of the six wall surfaces forming the rectangular
parallelepiped. The bus bar 150 of the present embodiment has a
through hole through which two adjacent electrode terminals 122 are
inserted. For example, in the vehicle, the battery module 110 is
mounted such that an axis direction of each electrode terminal 122
is orthogonal to a vehicle vertical direction.
[0030] The conductive module 1 of the present embodiment is
connected to at least one of the respective electrode terminal
groups 125 with respect to the battery module 110 configured as
described above.
[0031] The conductive module 1 includes a first conductive member
10, a second conductive member 20, and a housing member 30 that
houses the first and second conductive members 10 and 20 (FIG. 1).
The conductive module 1 may include at least one first conductive
member 10 and at least one second conductive member 20. In this
embodiment, the plurality of first conductive members 10 and the
plurality of second conductive members 20 are provided.
[0032] The first conductive member 10 is formed of a conductive
material such as metal. With at least one of the plurality of
battery cells 120 arranged as the battery module 110 being a
connection target, the first conductive member 10 is electrically
connected to one of the two electrode terminals 122 of the battery
cell 120 as the connection target. In the first conductive member
10, an electrical connection with the electrode terminal 122 may be
direct or indirect. In the former case where the first conductive
member 10 is directly (that is, physically) and electrically
connected to the electrode terminal 122, for example, by forming a
through hole in the flat first conductive member 10 and inserting
the electrode terminal 122 into the through hole, the first
conductive member 10 may be fastened to the electrode terminal 122
together with the bus bar 150. In this case, the bus bar 150 itself
may be used as the first conductive member 10. On the other hand,
in the latter case where the first conductive member 10 is
indirectly connected to the electrode terminal 122, for example,
the first conductive member 10 may be formed so as to be physically
and electrically connected to the bus bar 150 by welding (laser
welding or the like) and may be electrically connected to the
electrode terminal 122 via the bus bar 150. In this embodiment, the
bus bar 150 itself is used as the first conductive member 10.
[0033] The second conductive member 20 is formed of a conductive
material such as metal. The second conductive member 20 has a
conductor 21 extending in the arrangement direction of the
plurality of battery cells 120 and electrically connects the
conductor 21 to the first conductive member 10 and the electric
connection object 200 (FIG. 1). The second conductive member 20
directly or indirectly connects the conductor 21 to the first
conductive member 10 or the electric connection object 200, thereby
establishing electric connection between the conductor 21 and the
first conductive member 10 and between the conductor 21 and the
electric connection object 200. For example, in the case of direct
connection, by fastening a metal terminal (not illustrated)
attached to the conductor 21 to the electrode terminal 122 together
with the first conductive member 10, and by welding (laser welded
or the like) the conductor 21 to the first conductive member 10,
the conductor 21 and the first conductive member 10 may be
physically and electrically connected. In the case of indirect
connection, a third conductive member (not illustrated) may be
interposed between the conductor 21 and the first conductive member
10 to electrically connect the conductor 21 and the first
conductive member 10. As the third conductive member, for example,
application of a circuit protection member (fuse or the like)
having a fusible member is conceivable. In this embodiment, an
electric wire including the conductor 21 serving as a core wire and
a coating 22 covering the conductor 21 is used as the second
conductive member 20. It should be noted that the core wire may be
a rod-like conductor formed into a columnar shape, or may be a
bundle of a plurality of strands (for example, a twisted wire
formed by twisting a plurality of strands).
[0034] Here, the exemplary electric connection object 200 is a
battery monitoring unit that monitors the battery state (voltage,
current, temperature, and the like) of the battery cell 120. For
example, an electric wire as the second conductive member 20 is
provided as a voltage detection line that detects the voltage of
the battery cell 120.
[0035] The housing member 30 is formed of an insulating material
such as a synthetic resin. The housing member 30 has a housing body
40 in which the first and second conductive members 10 and 20 are
to be housed (FIGS. 1, 3 to 6). The housing body 40 has a first
housing chamber 41 in which the first conductive member 10 is to be
housed and a second housing chamber 42 in which the second
conductive member 20 is to be housed. The first housing chamber 41
is provided for each first conductive member 10. On the other hand,
the second housing chamber 42 is provided as a single room in which
the plurality of second conductive members 20 led from the
respective first housing chambers 41 are to be housed. In this
housing member 30, the respective first housing chambers 41 are
arranged side by side in the arrangement direction of the plurality
of battery cells 120, and the second conductive members 20 extend
along the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells
120.
[0036] Furthermore, the housing member 30 includes a lid body 50
that closes at least a part of an opening 42a of the second housing
chamber 42 so that the second conductive member 20 does not come
out from the second housing chamber 42, and a hinge body 60 that
connects the housing body 40 and the lid body 50, and makes the lid
body 50 pivot with respect to the housing body 40 between an
opening position (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) with respect to the opening 42a
of the second housing chamber 42 and a closing position (FIGS. 5
and 6) with respect to the opening 42a of the second housing
chamber 42 (FIG. 1, FIG. 3 to FIG. 6).
[0037] In this housing member 30, the housing body 40, the lid body
50, and the hinge body 60 are integrally molded. Therefore, the
hinge body 60 is formed as a so-called living hinge. A living hinge
is a thin portion having flexibility formed between the housing
body 40 and the lid body 50, in which the position of the pivot
axis can be displaced between the housing body 40 side and the lid
body 50 side. An exemplified hinge body 60 has flexibility enough
to enable pivoting between the housing body 40 and the lid body 50,
and is formed to be a rectangular thin flat plate. In addition, the
hinge body 60 of this embodiment connects the opening 42a of the
second housing chamber 42 of the housing body 40 and the lid body
50. The hinge body 60 is in the form of a flat plate in the initial
state, and the lid body 50 can be made to pivot with respect to the
housing body 40 by bending. In this embodiment, a relative
positional relationship between the housing body 40 and the lid
body 50 in the initial state of the hinge body 60 is set as an
opening position. In addition, in the hinge body 60, the pivot axis
is displaced between the housing body 40 side and the lid body 50
side according to the bending position.
[0038] The second housing chamber 42 and the lid body 50 have
proximity portions that are proximate to each other when the lid
body 50 closes the opening 42a of the second housing chamber 42.
The respective proximity portions of the second housing chamber 42
and the lid body 50 may be in contact with each other. The second
housing chamber 42 and the lid body 50 each have at least two
proximity portions, and the proximity portions thereof are opposed
to each other via the opening 42a.
[0039] The proximity portion of the second housing chamber 42 is
provided in a wall portion forming the second housing chamber 42.
For example, the second housing chamber 42 includes a pivot axis
side (hereinafter referred to as "inner wall portion") 42b to which
the hinge body 60 at the wall part is connected, and a wall portion
(hereinafter referred to as "outer wall portion") 42c arranged with
a space therebetween across an interior of the second housing
chamber 42 with respect to the inner wall portion 42b (FIGS. 3 to
6). In the second housing chamber 42, the proximity portion is
provided to the inner wall portion 42b and the outer wall portion
42c. The proximity portion of the second housing chamber 42 is
provided on, for example, the peripheral edge portion of the
opening 42a of the second housing chamber 42 which is a part of the
inner wall portion 42b and the outer wall portion 42c, or provided
closer to an interior side or the like than the peripheral edge
portion of the opening 42a in the inner wall portion 42b and the
outer wall portion 42c.
[0040] The proximity portion of the lid body 50 is provided at a
peripheral end portion proximate to the inner wall portion 42b and
the outer wall portion 42c of the second housing chamber 42 at the
closing position. For example, the lid body 50 includes an end
portion (hereinafter referred to as "inner end portion") 51 on the
side of the pivot axis, the hinge body 60 at the peripheral end
portion thereof being connected to the end portion 51, and an end
portion (hereinafter referred to as "outer end portion") 52
arranged with a space from the inner end portion 51 (FIGS. 3 to 6).
The inner end portion 51 and the outer end portion 52 are arranged
at a position separated from the interior of the second housing
chamber 42 in the closing position. The lid body 50 has the inner
end portion 51 and the outer end portion 52 as a proximity portion
(FIGS. 3 to 6). In the closing position, the inner end portion 51
is proximate to the inner wall portion 42b of the second housing
chamber 42, and the outer end portion 52 is proximate to the outer
wall portion 42c of the second housing chamber 42.
[0041] Still further, the housing member 30 has a holding mechanism
70 that holds the lid body 50 to the housing body 40 at the closing
position (FIGS. 1, 3 to 10). In the housing member 30, the holding
mechanism 70 is also integrally formed with the housing body 40,
the lid body 50, and the hinge body 60.
[0042] The holding mechanism 70 includes a first engagement holder
71 provided in the housing body 40 and a second engagement holder
72 provided in the lid body 50 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 to 10). The
holding mechanism 70 is formed such that a claw portion 73 of one
of the first engagement holder 71 and the second engagement holder
72 is inserted into an inserted portion 74 of the other of the
first engagement holder 71 and the second engagement holder 72, and
the lid body 50 is held by the housing body 40 at the closing
position by hooking the claw portion 73 and a wall surface 74a of
the inserted portion 74 with each other as an insertion of the claw
portion 73 into the inserted portion 74 is completed (FIGS. 7 to
10). The claw portion 73 and the wall surface 74a may be brought
into contact with each other at the closing position, and may be
brought into contact with each other with movement of the lid body
50 toward the opening position side at the closing position. For
example, when the hinge body 60 is returning to the original shape
at the closing position, the claw portion 73 and the wall surface
74a come into contact with each other. The claw portion 73 is
formed as a claw-shaped protruding portion on one of the first
engagement holder 71 and the second engagement holder 72. The
inserted portion 74 is a groove or a through hole formed in the
other of the first engagement holder 71 and the second engagement
holder 72, and one of the plurality of wall surfaces forming the
groove or the through hole is the wall surface 74a on which the
claw portion 73 is hooked. In the holding mechanism 70, the second
engagement holder 72 also pivots with respect to the first
engagement holder 71 in accordance with the pivoting motion of the
lid body 50 with respect to the housing body 40 by the hinge body
60, and the claw portion 73 is inserted into the inserted portion
74. In this embodiment, the inserted portion 74 is provided in the
first engagement holder 71 and the claw portion 73 is provided in
the second engagement holder 72.
[0043] Here, as described above, the position of the pivot axis 65
of the hinge body 60 is displaced between the housing body 40 side
and the lid body 50 side due to its flexibility. However, in the
holding mechanism 70, in order to maintain an engagement state
between the claw portion 73 and the inserted portion 74, the first
engagement holder 71 and the second engagement holder 72 are formed
so that the claw portion 73 is inserted into the inserted portion
74 when the position of the pivot axis 65 of the hinge body 60 is
at a predetermined position. Here, the pivot axis 65 of the hinge
body 60 at the predetermined position is referred to as a reference
pivot axis 65A (FIG. 10).
[0044] The first engagement holder 71 includes an introduction
portion (hereinafter referred to as "first introduction portion")
71a that comes into contact with the second engagement holder 72
when the pivot axis 65 of the hinge body 60 is positioned at the
reference pivot axis 65A between the housing body 40 side and the
lid body 50 side, and guides the second engagement holder 72 so
that the claw portion 73 is inserted into the inserted portion 74
as the pivoting motion of the lid body 50 with respect to the
housing body 40 proceeds (FIGS. 4, 6 and 7 to 10). The first
introduction portion 71a is formed as a sliding contact surface
that guides the contacted second engagement holder 72 while keeping
the contact state until the claw portion 73 is inserted into the
inserted portion 74.
[0045] The first introduction portion 71a is formed to come into
contact with the claw portion 73 of the second engagement holder 72
when the hinge body 60 makes the lid body 50 pivot with respect to
the housing body 40 with the reference pivot axis 65A, and guide
the claw portion 73 to the inserted portion 74 while keeping the
contact state as the pivoting motion of the lid body 50 proceeds.
Therefore, in the first engagement holder 71 of this embodiment,
the first introduction portion 71a is provided in continuation with
the inserted portion 74, and the surface on the first introduction
portion 71a side among the plurality of wall surfaces forming the
inserted portion 74 becomes the wall surface 74a on which the claw
portion 73 is hooked.
[0046] In addition, the first introduction portion 71a in this
embodiment includes a first sliding contact surface 71a.sub.1 that
is a main guiding surface of the second engagement holder 72, and a
second sliding contact surface 71a.sub.2 that facilitates the
introduction of the second engagement holder 72 (FIGS. 7 to 10). In
this first introduction portion 71a, a guiding direction of the
claw portion 73 along the first sliding contact surface 71a.sub.1
is a main guiding direction of the second engagement holder 72. The
first sliding contact surface 71a.sub.1 in this example is formed
so as to guide the second engagement holder 72 together with the
claw portion 73 along an axial direction of the electrode terminal
122. The second sliding contact surface 71a.sub.2 is a portion with
which the second engagement holder 72 first comes into contact, and
is arranged on a side opposite to the inserted portion 74 with
respect to the first sliding contact surface 71a.sub.1. The second
sliding contact surface 71a.sub.2 is desirably formed as an
inclined surface which is inclined so as to approach the hinge body
60 side as the second sliding contact surface 71a.sub.2 moves away
from the inserted portion 74.
[0047] In this holding mechanism 70, at least one of the first
engagement holder 71 and the second engagement holder 72 has
flexibility. In this holding mechanism 70, at least one of the
first engagement holder 71 and the second engagement holder 72 is
warped when the claw portion 73 is guided along the first
introduction portion 71a. The first engagement holder 71 and the
second engagement holder 72 are formed so that the warp is canceled
as the claw portion 73 is inserted into the inserted portion
74.
[0048] In the holding mechanism 70 configured as described above,
in order to create an engagement state between the first engagement
holder 71 and the second engagement holder 72, it is necessary to
displace the position of the pivot axis 65 of the hinge body 60
eventually to the position of the reference pivot axis 65A as the
pivoting motion proceeds, and guide the second engagement holder 72
by the first introduction portion 71a of the first engagement
holder 71 regardless of the position of the pivot axis 65 of the
hinge body 60 when the pivoting motion toward the closing position
of the lid body 50 with respect to the housing body 40 is started.
In other words, in this holding mechanism 70, regardless of the
position of the pivot axis 65 of the hinge body 60, it is necessary
to guide the second engagement holder 72 to the first introduction
portion 71a of the first engagement holder 71. The first engagement
holder 71 includes a second introduction portion 71b that comes
into contact with the second engagement holder 72 even if the pivot
axis 65 of the hinge body 60 is positioned at any position between
the housing body 40 side and the lid body 50 side, and guides the
second engagement holder 72 to the first introduction portion 71a
as the pivoting motion of the lid body 50 with respect to the
housing body 40 proceeds (FIGS. 4, 6 and 7 to 10). The second
introduction portion 71b is formed as a sliding contact surface
that guides the contacted second engagement holder 72 while keeping
the contact state until the second engagement holder 72 reaches the
first introduction portion 71a.
[0049] The second introduction portion 71b in this example is
formed so that the second engagement holder 72 first comes into
contact with the second introduction portion 71b when the lid body
50 is made to pivot toward the closing position with respect to the
housing body 40. Therefore, regardless of the position of the pivot
axis 65 of the hinge body 60, the second introduction portion 71b
is formed so as to be arranged on a pivoting locus of the second
engagement holder 72 corresponding to all of the pivot axis 65
(FIG. 11). In this example, the second introduction portion 71b is
provided in accordance with the pivoting locus of the tip of the
second engagement holder 72 on the claw portion 73 side.
[0050] Further, the second introduction portion 71b is formed as an
inclined surface inclined with respect to a guiding direction (a
guiding direction along the first sliding contact surface
71a.sub.1) of the second engagement holder 72 by the first
introduction portion 71a. The second introduction portion 71b in
this example is an inclined surface in a direction opposite to the
second sliding contact surface 71a.sub.2, and is inclined away from
the hinge body 60 as the second introduction portion 71b moves away
from the inserted portion 74 and the first introduction portion 71a
in the guiding direction of the second engagement holder 72.
[0051] In this holding mechanism 70, regardless of the position of
the pivot axis 65 of the hinge body 60 when the pivoting motion
toward the closing position of the lid body 50 with respect to the
housing body 40 is started, the second engagement holder 72 comes
into contact with the second introduction portion 71b as the
pivoting motion proceeds. Therefore, in the holding mechanism 70,
the second engagement holder 72 is guided along the second
introduction portion 71b by further making the pivoting motion
proceed, so that the claw portion 73 of the second engagement
holder 72 can be brought into contact with the first introduction
portion 71a. Accordingly, in the holding mechanism 70, the claw
portion 73 can be guided to the inserted portion 74 along the first
introduction portion 71a by further making the pivoting motion
proceed. As described above, in the holding mechanism 70, even if
the pivot axis 65 of the hinge body 60 is displaced to any position
between the housing body 40 side and the lid body 50 side, since
the second engagement holder 72 can be guided to the first
introduction portion 71a of the first engagement holder 71, it is
possible to insert the claw portion 73 into the inserted portion 74
and create an engagement state between the first engagement holder
71 and the second engagement holder 72. Therefore, this conductive
module 1 of the present embodiment has a configuration in which
even if an operator or the like is not aware of the mutual
positional relationship between the first introduction portion 71a
of the first engagement holder 71 and the second engagement holder
72, since the claw portion 73 can be inserted into the inserted
portion 74, it is possible to improve the workability of the
engagement operation between the first engagement holder 71 and the
second engagement holder 72 in the holding mechanism 70.
[0052] Here, in the housing member 30, in order to hold the
function of the lid body 50 as the lid by the holding mechanism 70,
it is desirable to arrange the holding mechanism 70 at least
between the outer wall portion 42c of the second housing chamber 42
and the outer end portion 52 of the lid body 50 on the opposite
side to the pivot axis 65 side to which the hinge body 60 is
connected. Upon arrangement, the holding mechanism 70 determines
the arrangement location and the number according to the length of
the outer end portion 52 of the lid body 50. For example, if the
outer end portion 52 of the lid body 50 is short and it is possible
to secure holding force in the engaged state only at one position,
one holding mechanism 70 is arranged between the outer wall portion
42c and the outer end portion 52, and if the outer end portion 52
of the lid body 50 is long and it is impossible to secure the
holding force in the engaged state only at one position, the
plurality of holding mechanisms 70 may be arranged between the
outer wall portion 42c and the outer end portion 52.
[0053] In this exemplary housing member 30, the holding mechanism
70 is arranged between the outer wall portion 42c and the outer end
portion 52, and is also arranged between the inner wall portion 42b
of the opening 42a of the second housing chamber 42 and the inner
end portion 51 of the lid body 50. Here, the holding mechanism 70
arranged between the outer wall portion 42c and the outer end
portion 52 is referred to as a first holding mechanism 70A, and the
holding mechanism 70 arranged between the inner wall portion 42b
and the inner end portion 51 is referred to as a second holding
mechanism 70B (FIG. 1, FIG. 3 to FIG. 6). In the first holding
mechanism 70A, the first engagement holder 71 is provided on the
outer wall portion 42c, and the second engagement holder 72 is
provided on the outer end portion 52. On the other hand, in the
second holding mechanism 70B, the first engagement holder 71 is
provided on the inner wall portion 42b, and the second engagement
holder 72 is provided on the inner end portion 51.
[0054] In the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, in one
of the first holding mechanism 70A and the second holding mechanism
70B, the second engagement holder 72 is guided to the first
introduction portion 71a via the second introduction portion 71b,
and in the other of the first holding mechanism 70A and the second
holding mechanism 70B, the second engagement holder 72 is also
guided to the first introduction portion 71a via the second
introduction portion 71b. Therefore, this conductive module 1 of
the present embodiment has a configuration in which even if an
operator or the like is not aware of the mutual positional
relationship between the first introduction portion 71a of the
first engagement holder 71 and the second engagement holder 72 in
each of the first holding mechanism 70A and the second holding
mechanism 70B, since the claw portion 73 can be inserted into the
inserted portion 74, it is possible to improve the workability of
the engagement operation between the first engagement holder 71 and
the second engagement holder 72 in each of the first holding
mechanism 70A and the second holding mechanism 70B. In addition, in
this conductive module 1, even if the first engagement holder 71
and the second engagement holder 72 are engaged from either the
first holding mechanism 70A or the second holding mechanism 70B, it
is possible to engage the first engagement holder 71 and the second
engagement holder 72 of each of the first holding mechanism 70A and
the second holding mechanism 70B; therefore, from this viewpoint
also, the workability of the engagement work can be improved.
[0055] Incidentally, the second introduction portion 71b may be
provided on at least one of the first holding mechanism 70A and the
second holding mechanism 70B. In thus configured conductive module
1 of the present embodiment, in one of the first holding mechanism
70A and the second holding mechanism 70B, the second engagement
holder 72 is guided to the first introduction portion 71a via the
second introduction portion 71b, so that even if the other of the
first holding mechanism 70A and the second holding mechanism 70B
does not have the second introduction portion 71b, the second
engagement holder 72 of the other is guided to the first
introduction portion 71a. Therefore, even if the first holding
mechanism 70A and the second holding mechanism 70B are configured
as described above, this conductive module 1 of the present
embodiment has a configuration in which even if an operator or the
like is not aware of the mutual positional relationship between the
first introduction portion 71a of the first engagement holder 71
and the second engagement holder 72 in each of the first holding
mechanism 70A and the second holding mechanism 70B, since the claw
portion 73 can be inserted into the inserted portion 74, it is
possible to improve the workability of the engagement operation
between the first engagement holder 71 and the second engagement
holder 72 in each of the first holding mechanism 70A and the second
holding mechanism 70B. In other words, even if this conductive
module 1 tries to engage with the first engagement holder 71 and
second engagement holder 72 of the other of the first holding
mechanism 70A and the second holding mechanism 70B, which does not
have the second introduction portion 71b, the second engagement
holders 72 of the one of the first holding mechanism 70A and the
second holding mechanism 70B is guided to the first introduction
portion 71a via the second introduction portion 71b at that time;
therefore, from this viewpoint also, the workability of the
engagement work can be improved.
[0056] In the conductive module according to the present
embodiment, in the pivoting motion toward the closing position of
the lid body with respect to the housing body, even if the pivot
axis of the hinge body is displaced to any position between the
housing body side and the lid body side, since the second
engagement holder can be introduced to a first introduction portion
of the first engagement holder by a second introduction portion of
the first engagement holder, it is possible to insert the claw
portion of the holding mechanism into the inserted portion and to
create an engagement state between the first engagement holder and
the second engagement holder. Therefore, the conductive module has
a configuration in which even if an operator or the like is not
aware of the mutual positional relationship between the first
introduction portion of the first engagement holder and the second
engagement holder, since the claw portion can be inserted into the
inserted portion, it is possible to improve the workability of the
engagement operation between the first engagement holder and the
second engagement holder in the holding mechanism.
[0057] Although the invention has been described with respect to
specific embodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the
appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed
as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that
may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the
basic teaching herein set forth.
* * * * *